Our Head of English, Deborah Matheson, opened this week’s Myers Cup finals with a reminder of the power of speech to inspire, to motivate and to make a connection with the audience. What followed were 10 fabulous examples proving that to be true.

Under Headmistress Jean Crosher’s leadership, the Myers Cup was first awarded in 1951. In her Annual Report that year, Ms Crosher acknowledged the generosity of Ballinda Myers, an ex-Head Prefect, for presenting the school with a cup for public-speaking which led to ‘one of our most interesting innovations this year, namely, the Public Speaking competition.’ Contested by over 50 students in that inaugural year, the Myers Cup was presented to Jean Valerie Parker, an SMC prefect who went on to be a teacher.

Fast forward 68 years and our oratory traditions have gone from strength to strength, with the Lyn Kennedy Competition Cup (Junior), the Toomer Speech Trophy (Middle), and Gosset Speech Cup (Upper Middle) joining the Myers Cup, affording recognition for students across the school. We celebrate the excellence of our finalists, alongside the endeavour of all our Year 5 to 12 girls who will have written, prepared and delivered speeches this term as part of their English teaching and learning programmes.

We then gathered together as an audience to revel in the power of speeches. We were inspired by tales of a girl’s bravery (Qiaoyu Guan - Y6), the beautiful complexity of young women (Mila Ballin - Y11), and the power of amplifying our female voice (Alexandra Lehmann - Y11). We were motivated to respect and accept diversity (Gemma Sitjes - Y7, Lucy Johnston - Y11) and to act as responsible stewards of our planet (Maggie Tyler - Y7), before Lydia Munro - Y13 called us to rail against gender stereotypes and to write a new narrative for women in the world. The connection two speakers made with the audience was evident in the glorious laughter that filled the auditorium, with clever ‘tongue-in-cheek’ speeches on love advice (Harriet Norris - Y9) and the online world of self care (Raha Walker - Y12).

While it may have been an innovation in 1951, the benefits of public speaking continue to be fostered in St Margaret’s classrooms and we are proud of the confident manner in which our students are able to express themselves. As Ms Crosher remarked, ‘I am sure that those of you who, in the course of your daily life, are faced with the necessity of speaking in public, will agree that this experience may well prove an invaluable asset to our girls in the future.’ How right she was.